Two players dominate the media scene. Singapore Press Holdings, which has close links to the ruling party, has a virtual monopoly of the newspaper industry. MediaCorp, owned by a state investment agency, operates TV and radio stations.

Singapore is a regional pioneer of high-definition and mobile TV services. The government's multi-million dollar "Media 21" blueprint aims to turn the country into a regional hub for the digital media industry and to create thousands of jobs.

The BBC World Service broadcasts on 88.9 FM.

There were 4 million internet users by June 2012 (InternetWorldStats). There is token filtering of pornographic sites, but licensing controls and legal pressures are used to regulate internet access and curb "objectionable" content, says OpenNet Initiative.

There were nearly 3 million Facebook users by late 2012, and half of all internet users have Twitter accounts. Singapore is home to around 100,000 bloggers.

Political debate has found an outlet online, but those who post political material are expected to register with the authorities. The ruling party and opposition parties are active on Facebook.